As the border conflict with Afghanistan continues to intensify, Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has launched a scathing attack on Kabul and said that all Afghans living in his country need to return to their homeland. In a social media post, Asif said Pakistan's "land and resources" are for its own 250 million citizens and not for the Afghans.
"All Afghans residing on Pakistani soil must return to their homeland; they now have their own government, their own caliphate in Kabul," the Pakistani defence minister said. "Self-respecting nations do not thrive on foreign land and resources."
Tensions at all-time high between Pakistan, Afghanistan
Pakistan and Afghanistan have been conducting strikes against each other, with the former accusing the latter of supporting the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a terror group that aims to overthrow the government in Islamabad. Earlier this month, Pakistan also attacked TTP hideouts in Kabul after which Afghanistan strongly retaliated and captured multiple Pakistani military outposts along the Durand Line.
Later, the two sides agreed for a 48-hour ceasefire, but Pakistan once again attacked Afghanistan on Friday, killing many people, including three cricketers, following which the Afghan cricket board canceled a tri-series with Pakistan.
Pakistan's allegations and Afghanistan's clarification
Pakistan has alleged that Afghanistan is acting at the behest of India and is harbouring TTP terrorists. In his remarks, Asif said that the relationship with Afghanistan will never be normal again like the previous time. "There will no longer be protest notes or appeals for peace; no delegations will go to Kabul," he said.
"The rulers of Kabul, who are now sitting in India's lap and conspiring against Pakistan, were once under our protection, hiding on our land," the Pakistani defence minister said.
However, the Taliban government has repeatedly clarified that the Afghan soil is not being used against any of its neigbhours, including Pakistan. In fact, Afghanistan's Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi has said that Kabul only wants peace with all of its neigbhours.
